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Obtainium: Get Android App Updates Directly from the Source

obtainium.imranr.dev

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Re: Obtainium: Get Android App Updates Directly from the Source

#31

Post by sigmonsays »

i've been using this app and i honestly prefer it this way.

Lets not forget that certificates are created and checked for github.com, so unlikely for a middleman to get in.

I trust github much more than google right now. Especially since the object being fetched is generic as opposed to a appstore. Google's app store has only shown to hinder publishing. Take syncthing for instance.

The only thing I wish was better was the .apk selection process. It would be nice if a database existed with filename formats or a little extra metadata to match the correct asset.

Re: Obtainium: Get Android App Updates Directly from the Source

#32

Post by smeej »

oguz-ismail wrote: post #5
EVa5I7bHFq9mnYK wrote: post #2

[flagged]

Yeah. I only update my bank app and Chrome and wouldn't trust a random app with that

Do you just not install other apps? Or do you have some kind of preference for unpatched, insecure old software?

Re: Obtainium: Get Android App Updates Directly from the Source

#35

Post by theage »

Finally, a no nonsense Auto-App-Updater App! if only sites would include a version number somewhere on the download page so obtainium could find it. Looking at you https://grayjay.app (it doesn't seem to work for partial file hash either so I had to turn auto updates off for this one)

We sorely need 1:1 replacement of app store trust and discovery mechanisms too without any kafka-esque approval hoops. Obtainium app config sharing and perhaps a standard for APK release webpages would be a great first step towards that.

Re: Obtainium: Get Android App Updates Directly from the Source

#36

Post by EVa5I7bHFq9mnYK »

fluidcruft wrote: post #22
fwn wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The safety-argument functions as an apologetic narrative to justify the gatekeeping. Strangely, almost everything the Play Store pushes at me (Temu, TikTok, millions of communication apps with dubious reputation) is crap. I would never install an app without checking the permissions it asks for, researching the owner of the app as well as the the tracking it includes - yet the store never makes those things transpare…

The safety argument with F-Droid is that F-Droid builds from source and the builds can be verified by anyone https://f-droid.org/docs/Reproducible_Builds/

anyone == noone

Re: Obtainium: Get Android App Updates Directly from the Source

#37

Post by g-b-r »

sigmonsays wrote: post #31

i've been using this app and i honestly prefer it this way. Lets not forget that certificates are created and checked for github.com, so unlikely for a middleman to get in. I trust github much more than google right now. Especially since the object being fetched is generic as opposed to a appstore. Google's app store has only shown to hinder publishing. Take syncthing for instance. The only thing I wish was better wa…

> Lets not forget that certificates are created and checked for github.com, so unlikely for a middleman to get in.

What?

Don't assume that the APKs are generated by GitHub's CI, anyhow, anything can be uploaded as a release

Re: Obtainium: Get Android App Updates Directly from the Source

#38

Post by oguz-ismail »

smeej wrote: post #32
oguz-ismail wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah. I only update my bank app and Chrome and wouldn't trust a random app with that

Do you just not install other apps? Or do you have some kind of preference for unpatched, insecure old software?

I have M&W Dictionary, PlantNet, SoundCloud, and Stellarium+ installed. I don't plan to update any of them as long as they keep working/until I buy a new phone.

Re: Obtainium: Get Android App Updates Directly from the Source

#39

Post by g-b-r »

mj-j wrote: post #4
EVa5I7bHFq9mnYK wrote: post #2

[flagged]

It is if the crowdsourced sources are bad. Outside of that happening, you are just going directly to the project instead of through a curator.

With F-Droid you have at least a guarantee that the app builds, and at least during the initial review nothing bad was found

You can argue you're adding F-Droid to the entities you trust (unless it's a reproducible build), but at the same time you're relying a lot less on a random's developer honesty (and security)

Re: Obtainium: Get Android App Updates Directly from the Source

#40

Post by g-b-r »

maccard wrote: post #30
InsideOutSanta wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're excellent at inconveniencing legitimate devs for "mistakes" like links to external payment options, but oddly bad at spotting actual scams. I think that tells you something about the actual goal of app review.

The way you phrase mistakes is interesting, it’s been abundantly clear that’s not allowed for a long time. It’s not a “mistake” if you link to an external payment method . I’m an iOS user but one of the reasons I like iOS is because I know that I’ll be able to Sign in with Apple, and pay via the App Store. I recently signed up to a service which charged me for a free trial and I opened a support ticket. They refunded…

One of the reasons I don't like either iOS or the Play Store is that I don't want to make an account with them (which can link all the flood of data sent by your phone to your real name, and force you to agree to their terms)
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